Tag Archives: Lagos State government

In a shocking turnaround, the Lagos State High Court has admitted that the coroner’s inquest which indicted the engineers and contractors of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) guesthouse that collapsed is at fault.

According to an exclusive report leaked online, Justice K.O. Alogba of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division stated that the coroner lacked the powers to recommend the prosecution of the contractors.

While delivering his ruling on the application for judicial review filed by the lawyers to the Registered Trustees of The SCOAN on Wednesday 2nd March 2016, Alogba equally faulted the conclusion of the coroner which stated the tragic collapse of the building was due to structural failure.

The trial into collapse of the guesthouse which resulted in the deaths of 115 people has been fraught with controversy from its onset.

In its verdict of July 8, 2015, the coroner headed by Justice Oyetade Komolafe had recommended the prosecution of the contractors that handled the construction of the collapsed building, a ruling that has faced immense legal challenges ever since.

The SCOAN immediately claimed the ruling was ‘biased’ and ‘one-sided’, maintaining that external forces sabotaged the building and the collapse was the result of an ‘attack’, not any structural defect.

Justice Alogba had earlier refused the prayer of the Lagos State Government, urging the court to strike out the application for judicial review.

Alogba submitted that the application was legally viable as it was filed within the three months period stipulated.

The new ruling from Justice Alogba has effectively halted the recommendation by the coroner that the contractors should be prosecuted.

It calls for alarm how disturbing legitimacy is becoming slowly ruled out in cases that are legally constituted. Legitimacy as we all know is an acceptable standard that is socially, morally and ethically held in high esteem; it is what the people accept as reasonable and in other views, legitimacy means citizens full support or recognition of a government. In a democratic setting, a law can be said to be legitimate if it has an overwhelming support from majority of the people that are directly affected by that law. However, that has not been in the case of the SCOAN building collapse, for it may interest us to know that until date, the SCOAN building collapse case has not been given a legitimate view despite the fact on ground and plead by the people.

It is well known that since the collapsed SCOAN guest house issue has been lingering, the verdicts that have so far been given by the authority have not been in SCOAN’s favor. In all of these, the ministry of SCOAN and some independent professional investigators have insisted that the authority should not hold on to their one-sided view on what they think is behind the cause of the collapse guest house, but should equally consider these facts that are on ground. If indeed the authority is searching for the truth, why would the government that is recognized as a powerful institution not concern themselves with these acute evidences?

Independent reports from both local and international professional building engineers that stated the building collapse was as a result of controlled demolition due to the fact that its foundation is still intact, that is without stress and crack.

For all these aforementioned evidences tendered and the suspicions generated due to the way and manner the building collapsed, it brings about the question; how legitimate is the hasty verdict of the Lagos State government and its coronal inquest? If the authority continues to ignore these sensitive evidences, what then is the essence of legitimacy in our social structure? For It is no news how majority of the bereaved families affected by the incident are insisting that the facts which the ministry of SCOAN and other experts have brought out should be adequately considered by the government but they have paid deaf ears to this.

The fact is that if the authorities continue to ignore these disturbing evidences/reports from the SCOAN and other independent professionals, the people will never take the government seriously. This is one of the reasons why no matter the level of indictment placed on SCOAN by the authorities, it will not affect T.B. Joshua’s reputation in the eyes of the world; for the Ministry of Prophet T.B. Joshua will continue to grow from ‘height to height’. The verdict from the coronal inquest will remain illegitimate and can’t be taken seriously by well-minded people until the government answers these heart-provoking questions. For if the authority continues to act on such one-sided verdict it will continue to be seen as persecution or witch-hunt and not justice. How can a ministry which has contributed tremendously to the Nigerian economy, boost her international image and help many of her citizens not be granted a chance of freedom/ fair hearing by the nation’s authority? Well, the freedom of man is from God.

If the authority claims to be fair and just, let us be reminded of the DANA and SOSOLISO air crash. Is it still heard till date? Was it continuously hampered on? Where are the human rights activists who claimed to fight for the rights of the bereaved? Why have they not called the government to order after they had dubiously ‘swept these cases under the carpet’? Why the consistent lingering of the Synagogue case, if there is no ulterior motive? If not, in fair cases both parties are heard and evidence provided are intelligently scrutinized and investigated in order to give a fair and legit statement which will have no traces of bias. As Christians, we know we are in the world but not part of it, everything we do as Christians will always irritate the world, know this! “A friend of God is an enemy of the world” this clearly shows and proves that God is with Prophet T.B. Joshua in his mature disposition of his actions, silence and behavior towards the bias, criticism, unjust and abusive language of the authorities.

Isn’t it obvious that the ministry in question keeps growing from strength to strength and the world acceptance keeps increasing? The Prophet is still accepted in other countries even when the government verdict has not been in his ministry’s favor. The clamor of other nations still lingers, calling on Prophet T.B. Joshua to hold a crusade and possibly establish a branch of his ministry in their nations. If I may recount, the Sunday before the 31st night 2015, T.B. Joshua sent an evangelist to read his message to the congregation appealing to brethren all over the world not to come around during the 31st night that they should all stay in their various homes/countries and watch Emmanuel TV. This shows the rate, esteem and value that people still have for this man of God and this exposes that the verdict of the government might be LEGAL BUT NOT LEGITIMATE (that is, it lacks the acceptable social, moral and ethical standard by well-minded people) I bet, if T.B Joshua is imprisoned innocently today, that will not stop people all over the world from accessing his ministry like the case of Jesus Christ which was even worse, yet He is worshipped, honored and even regarded as the savior of the world till date.

It is true that the coronal inquest was set up by a legally recognized body but their verdict is still illegitimate. The world is not ignorant of the fact that wicked people can use the instrument of the state to perpetrate injustice. Why can’t our government come to the realization that they are there to serve the people? So how on earth will the judgment by the authority against the SCOAN ministry hold water when they have not done what is legitimate (carrying out a proper investigation on the evidence provided)? Let’s ask ourselves; why do enlightened minds of various strata still come from far and wide down to Nigeria to attend the SCOAN Sunday service? Do we think people of the world are so dull that they cannot detect a gimmick from a man who we claim is not learned? It is no news that the incident was tragic but notwithstanding, it never came between TB Joshua and God.

I leave you with these and let God be the judge of all matters here on earth and in heaven.

For those who may have read the recent news on the Synagogue building collapsed saga, with the captured headlines: Synagogue building Collapse: COREN begins hearing on indicted Engineer. I must say this has again showed how those in authorities, those who are supposed to be proactive and legitimate in their duties to the society seems to be insensitive in the way they are handling the Synagogue building Collapsed tragedy hence, making one to question the real motives behind their board of investigators or panel of hearings.

One may have thought that, before the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) hurriedly, sent their conclusive report of ‘guilty of negligent’ against the two structural engineers during the coronal inquest, COREN must have by then, had an independent panel of inquiry which its outcome may have determined their written submission at the coronal inquest and at the same time give-out their own disciplinary action against both contractors if the panel they setup were able to establish that the contractors were unprofessional in the cause of constructing the collapsed building unfortunately, that was not the case because there was never an inquiry or any panel of fair hearings setup by COREN before they established their guilt.

This therefore elucidate that, the hasty report initially giving by COREN that professional negligent on the part of the two structural engineers caused the guest house to collapse was done out of imagination and presumptions. COREN made their submission at the coronal inquest without setting up a formal panel of inquiry to look into the matter, a panel that supposed to investigate the professional conduct or misconduct of the two structural engineers and then invite both engineers for a fair hearing. It is now that the two engineers have been indicted by the coronal magistrate that COREN is now setting up a panel of hearing to look into the professional misconduct of the contractors after they, COREN have already established their culpability at the coronal inquest that the contractors are guilty of negligent.

Do you really think these so called professionals know what they are doing? Do they even have an idea that a number of innocent souls have died as a result of this tragedy? It seems these people are playing with the blood of those that died in that collapsed building. This action by COREN is pure prejudice; they have already given their verdict before they are now inaugurating a six-member panel of hearing. A panel to do what, I ask? Is it to legalize their previous bogus submission at the coronal inquest? Yet, everyone is watching, no one is intervening by calling them to order.

The question is why COREN didn’t setup their six-member panel of hearing before they went ahead in submitting their report of guilty of negligent at the coronal inquest. On what premises did they give out that bogus report? Do you think evil men will go scot-free? In the appropriate time, everyone will receive his/her own reward according to the role they had played in the September 12th, 2015 building collapse. Remember the ‘Golden Rule’ by our only Messiah our Lord Jesus Christ (Mathew 7:12). If they mean well, they will receive good; but if you mean bad, they will equally receive bad.

We don’t need a Prophecy to know the obvious out-come of the six-member panel of hearings. It is indeed doubtful that this six-member set-up panel would take an exception to the latter verdict. This is apparently a pre-coded strategy to witch-hunt innocent professionals because they want to harm the reputation of Prophet T.B. Joshua. It is just a matter of 1+1=2, 2+2=4 to know that the panel is another conspiracy to legitimize injustice and glorify impunity.

When will evil men stop hunting after the righteous ones? Has a true Apostle of Christ ever gained justice from the institutions of the world without a strain? The argument has never been T.B. Joshua is against others, but has always been others against T.B. Joshua. They attacked a sacred place, destroyed it and killed Christians. The church alone bear the pains, they single handedly took care of the injured, paid their bills and gave the dead a befitted burial. It is on record and so visible over the media that the Prophet never abandoned the bereaved families, but extends directly to them not only in prayers, congregational memorial service, charitable deeds but also visit the families, this the Emmanuel TV crew and partners global have never relented. Enough of this persecution dear Nigerians, why continue suffering God’s anointed. Why the unnecessary threat to jail the Prophet of God. Why are we so keen to see the righteous fall?

Indeed anything close to God receives attack. What a world of injustice? Indeed Injustice to the righteous is Justice to evil men. May God help His Church, deliver His Prophet and may His Grace be significant upon you, leaders in authority…Amen.

When the Lagos State Government (LSG) set up the coronal inquest that was supposed to find out the cause of the September 12th, 2014 building collapse at the premises of the Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN) Lagos, Nigeria, One would expect the inquest will provide answers to the many questions that was being raised, but the reveres was the case, the alleged inquest has thus raised more questions than answer vis a viz; indictment rather than fact finding/ inquiry.

The outcome of the coronal inquest has made many with the right knowledge to accept the fact that the coronal Magistrate who was supposed to be impartial indeed has interest in the case as earlier sued by the ministry of SCOAN during the time the inquest was still ongoing.

Mobile Picture from a South African Eyewitness

Before I move further, it will be imperative for us to take a clue from the time the building collapse incident just occurred. Prior to the setup of the coronal inquest, there has been disagreement between the ministry of SCOAN and the Lagos State government (the inaugurator of the coronal inquest) on the actual cause of the building collapse. While the ministry of SCOAN insists the collapse was as a result of terror attack that was induced by controlled demolition, but the Lagos Sate Government (LSG) claimed the building Collapsed as a result of structural failure. For this reason, SCOAN released a CCTV footage which captured a military airplane that went round the building before it collapsed and to add to SCOAN’s evidence, a South African eyewitness who saw the plane when it was coming closer to the building, present to the public the picture he snapped with his mobile phone capturing the close proximity of the military airplane to the collapsed building. But on the part of the Lagos State government (LSG), the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LSBCA) quoted that his agency sent a pre-warning notice to the SCOAN before the building collapsed, which they alleged SCOAN ignored. And also government rescue agencies that came to the collapse site ‘ill-equipped’ accused the Church of not cooperating with the recues process, thus raising question if the Church has something to hide. Both claims by the Lagos State Government agencies were refuted by the ministry of SCOAN and it was obvious this bogus allegations from the LSG were desperate moves to shift all the blame on SCOAN because concrete evidences later proved that the preliminary claims raised by the Lagos State Government (LSG) were all lies and this has generate a lot of question if some individuals in the Lagos State Government (LSG) have personal interest in the incident or if the State authorities are part of the ground plan to cover-up what truly transpired on the September 12th, 2014 building collapsed at the premises of the SCOAN.

Now I ask, how can the Lagos State Government (LSG) who has being known for spreading misinformation, contradicting claims and falsehood since the collapse incidence occurred now claim they want justice for the victims and bereaved families? We ask, is this Justice or witch-hunt?

This is the same LSG that has been resisting every move taken by the Ministry of SCOAN to prove that the building collapsed was as a result of terror attack. Here we ask, what does it take the Government to consider the facts on ground that has been raised by SCOAN. Why are they not talking about the Military airplane that went round the building before it collapsed? What will be the gain if the innocents are wrongly accused and convicted?

A coronal inquest that supposed to be a fact finding one, thus given recommendation to the government on measures that should be taken to avoid a recurrence of the SCOAN’s building collapse tragedy, end up becoming an inquest staged for witch-hunt by indicting the ministry of SCOAN and the building contractors.

I ask again, does a coronal Magistrate have the power to indict a witness? The Magistrate verdict on the collapsed building was mainly focused on indictment instead, of giving recommendations to the appropriate authorities on how to avoid and handle building collapse incidence. Why did Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, did not consider those expert report which suggested that the building collapsed was as a result of controlled demolition, but upheld those contradicting reports from representatives of the Lagos State Government (LSG) that claim the building collapse was a result of structural failure.

When will the judgment of man be void of personal interest?

Is it feasible for a judge to give a just verdict against his enemy?

From the onset of the coronal inquest, the provocative and body language of the coronal magistrate against Prophet T.B Joshua was enough evidence that the ministry of SCOAN and those that died in the collapse building will not get justice from the inquest. The Coronal Magistrate, Oyetade Komolafe was always using derogatory statement to refer to Prophet T.B Joshua as “That man…! Tell that Man…!” threatening the Prophet with the ‘Sword of the State’ and given unnecessary threat of arrest as if the Prophet has already been found wanting by the law.

We are not surprise or taking unaware by the Magistrate verdict. We are in a world were wicked people uses the instrument of the State to perpetrate injustice, where the so called ‘powerful’ manipulate the judiciary to suit their interest. Are we not in a world where the innocent will serve jail terms and the perpetrator goes scot-free, because they are being back by the ‘mighty and powerful’ in the society. Go to the prisons around the world, majority of those inmates are innocent of their crime and yet none can do anything about it thus leaving them, the prisoners at the mercy of those who has interest in their incarceration. Then I ask, is the State owned only by the ‘Powerful or Mighty’ or by every citizen irrespective of their status and influences?

Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, claimed SCOAN did not get appropriate approval for the collapse building, what about the 20 Million naira SCOAN paid for the building approval with receipt evidence to show for it thus, connotes that the building was endorsed by the appropriate government agencies and this aspect was ignored in the Coronal verdict. Yet none including the media ask questions about this. On what ground will the Lagos State government collect the sum of 20 million naira from the SCOAN for building approval and at the same time accuse the ministry of not getting the approval for the collapsed building? Who is blaming who here, the debtor or the creditor? Very ironic indeed!!… It is only the gullible that can fall for this.

It is certainly true that those behind the building collapse are powerful forces who would want to make sure the truth is not exposed and any move taken by any person or group to expose the truth will be out rightly resisted or frustrated.

It is true that the State is the power; the State is the law; they have all what it takes to win all the legal battle and avert justice, but know this, can they ever win the battle of the mind, those with independent minds know the truth. Remember, the heart is where the truth lies and in due time the truth will prevail. That is why no matter the indictment and campaign of calumny the ministry of SCOAN will continue to grow from height to height because the people know the truth, they can’t be led astray by a Magistrate’s verdict. Even Christ Jesus the founder and Father of the Church was unjustly persecuted and crucified by the world come to talk of His servant, Prophet T.B Joshua.

To those Jurist with good heart, those who uphold justice even at the detriment of their life and career continue with your good works, the LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH and for others, know that the position you occupy was not as a result of self effort, it is a privilege from God with a free-will for you to place culpability where culpability is. Standing for the truth may put you in the bad book of the ‘powerful and mighty’, but know this, history rewards men and women that stand for justice, those who upheld the truth without fear or favor are honored by history.

Remember, “The battle between the stone and the water, in time the water wins.”